The present invention relates to a device for a child seat, and a child seat as well as a vehicle including a device for a child seat.
So-called ISO-Fix retaining systems are used at an increasing rate to attach child seats in vehicles. To this end, the ISO-FIX child seat is equipped with two gripper arms, which are engaged in mating counterparts in the vehicle. This provides an absolutely tight connection between the child seat and the vehicle. Consequently, the braking deceleration of the vehicle is passed on directly to the child seat in an accident. The risks of misuse could be reduced considerably by ISO-FIX. In addition to the two gripper arms, the child seats are fixed by an additional belt (the Top Tether). DE 102 16 070 C1 describes a child seat equipped with an ISO-Fix attachment system.
A great number of documents deal with the detection of child seats, when these are mounted on the seat of a vehicle. Sensors are used for this purpose, which react to the attachment of the child seat to the seat. Co-driver airbags are deactivated in response to the sensor signal in order to avoid injuries of the child (EP 0 603 733 A1, DE 44 10 402 A1).
DE 36 35 644 A1 describes a seat occupancy device, which uses a passenger detector to detect whether the seat is occupied.
Comfort devices of the vehicle are actuated automatically in response to the sensor signal of the passenger detector.
Child seats for motor vehicles include already many features to improve the passive safety of babies and children when an accident occurs. Among these are shoulder cushions to protect the neck and head area, 5-point belt systems, passive absorbers in the headrest and the sidewalls, partly even with air cushions, which have to be adapted to the ergonomics of the child being protected before starting to drive.
All these passive protective measures have optimal effects only if they are actually adapted to the child before starting to drive.
The shortcoming of these passive protective measures involves that in general they limit the freedom of motion of children to a great degree and, thus, render driving at ease without ‘protest’ from the back seat only possible if the existing passive protective measures are not utilized in full.
An object of the invention is to provide a child seat, which allows the child to be comfortably seated, on the one hand, and safeguards optimal protection of the child in a case of danger, on the other hand.
DE 198 55 032 A1, admittedly, provides an acceleration sensor for a child seat, which is allocated to a seat-belt retractor for a helmet. However, this special system restricts the possible movements for the child during travel even more.